


Short 22 - An Awful Lot of Running To Do

by stgjr



Series: "The Power of a Name" Series 2 - "Time Lord Triumphant" [20]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005), Multi-Fandom, Shadows of the Apt - Adrian Tchaikovsky
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Multiple Crossovers, Multiverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-10-20 05:43:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10656102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stgjr/pseuds/stgjr
Summary: Our narrator and Katherine have a little adventure evading the troops of an evil empire.  A case study in why anyone who travels in a TARDIS needs to be a good runner.





	Short 22 - An Awful Lot of Running To Do

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted on September 18th, 2014.

I forgot to carry the two again.  
  
I hate forgetting to carry that annoying two. It taunts me every time. "You must carry me or the TARDIS will drop you somewhere you don't want to go!"  
  
In this case, right place... wrong time.  
  
And so now Katherine and I were running for, well, for our lives, through the city streets of a city that was half industrial, half medieval. We had a group of very nasty fellows chasing us. "Doctor, what are they?!", Katherine asked as we forced our way through a market and into a side alley. "What's going on?!"  
  
"I took us to the wrong bloody time in this city, that's what," I replied, just as a bolt of golden energy sizzled over my shoulder. "Bloody Wasp-kinden!"  
  
To try to sum this planet up quickly, it has some magic quantum... stuff, and it has industry, and some races are good with the former and some with the latter, and while all are more or less Human, their racial distinctions involve a sort of symbiosis with various types of insects that gave each race a specific "Art" unique to that race. Broad, capable Beetle-kinden, small nimble Fly-kinden, graceful flying Dragonfly-kinden, hive-minded Ant-kinden, et cetera.  
  
And the Wasp-kinden, of course. The worst of the lot. Take the worst of the Romans and the worst of the Mongols and mix it all up... and there you have it. These are people you generally want to stay far, far away from.  
  
"Stop in the name of the Empire!", one of them shouted. "Stop or you will be killed!"  
  
I didn't waste my breath replying. This was good because another squad of the buggers came around the corner in front of us, crossbows leveled. I didn't have time to get my sonic disruptor up.  
  
Thankfully, there was a wooden door to the side. "Come along, Katherine!" I plowed into it, smashing it open and ending up in a store room for an eatery of some sort. A scowling Mynan Beetle-kinden shot us a dirty look. I imagine it disappeared when the Wasp soldiers piled in behind us.  
  
"We can't keep running!", Katherine protested. "What will we do?"  
  
"Get a moment to bring in the TARDIS!", I replied. I couldn't very well summon it with these buggers behind us.  
  
We got back out to the opposite street and starting plowing through the crowd. Screams erupted around us for obvious reasons. My senses could feel the buzz in the air and I looked back. The Wasp soldiers had decided to fly.  
  
Katherine noticed too. "They're flying?!"  
  
"Yes, some of the local races can do that," I said. "This way!"  
  
I went to move in one alley, but Katherine took my hand and pulled me toward the opposite one. "No, this way!", she shouted.  
  
"What?! Kath...." I looked up and smiled as we ran into the alley. "You brilliant girl!"  
  
As we ran down the alley the airborne Wasp soldiers pursued... and ran right into the clotheslines that were connecting the two housing buildings like a web. Screams and curses came from the soldiers and we were fired on at a distance by crossbow and their "sting" Art. Soon enough we were around the corner and....  
  
"The TARDIS!" My hearts swelled to see my girl at the far end of the alley, across the nearest street. "Come on, we're almost there!"  
  
We picked up the pace, which was good because more were coming on foot. "Stop!," another one shouted. "Stop or you will be executed!"  
  
I held up the sonic disruptor and triggered Setting 42 as we raced through the street. More crossbow bolts and sting blasts lashed out at us and were absorbed by the defensive field from the disruptor. The street was thankfully a side street and not so busy. We didn't even knock anyone over as we raced across. The TARDIS was right ahead....  
  
....and a Wasp-kinden soldier landed in front of it and leveled his crossbow.  
  
Katherine got to him first. She isn't the violent type, but she was learning self-defense all the same. She grabbed the crossbow and held it up, causing the bolt in it to be fired harmlessly over our heads. The grab of the Wasp's arms turned into a grappling hold that allowed her to twist the arm and throw the soldier off balance. The Wasp landed flat on his back.  
  
I brought up the TARDIS remote and disengaged the lock. We ran in and Katherine immediately closed the door, after which several "thunk" sounds could be heard from crossbows. I went straight to the controls, twisted a dial to change our destination, and pulled back the activation lever. _VWORP VWORP VWORP_  
  
Katherine went up to the control console near me. We were both huffing from the exercise we had just undergone. "I think you enjoy having to run for our lives!", she accused me in a playful tone.  
  
"Come now, we have to burn off that find Tharkad cooking somehow, eh?", I retorted, after which I laughed. Maybe it was just euphoria was from the adrenaline (or Time Lord equivalent thereof for me) or the thrill was still with us, but we both began to laugh.  
  
It took us a few minutes to catch our breath due to the fits of laughter. Once we had regained control Katherine shook her head. "That was just so... so bizarre! Humans with insect parts?"  
  
"Oh yes. Lots of them." I sighed. "I had meant to take us to Myna _after_ they ejected the Wasp-kinden. I forgot to carry the two. I really need to start double-checking these things, eh?" I began moving dials. "So, let's get you home, eh?"  
  
"Yes," she agreed. "It's been wonderful, but duty calls. I have to take a ship out to Arc-Royal."  
  
"Arc-Royal eh?"  
  
"Yes. Morgan is retiring." She made a face. "Phelan will be there too. Even House Kurita is sending a representative."  
  
"I imagine so. Brave new Inner Sphere, common front against the Clans, et cetera," I answered. "You know, I could take you myself. Join the celebrations. Get in a little dancing."  
  
"There may not be that much dancing, Doctor." She shook her head. "Honestly, it's probably best if I go the old-fashioned way. When I get back in June I should be able to free up some time."  
  
I looked at her and realization dawned. "Your mother doesn't want me around."  
  
"She thinks highly of you," Katherine insisted. "But... for the rest of the Inner Sphere, it would be rubbing it in their faces that the Federated Commonwealth has close ties to the universe's only known Time Lord, who has a ship that can appear at any point in space at any moment."  
  
"Ah. Yes. I understand. Politics." I made a face. "Oh well. I suppose I have a few projects to check up on. But I'll be back in June."  
  
"I look forward to it," Katherine answered.  
  
I nodded and finished setting in coordinates to take her home.


End file.
